Ore-concentrator.



'No.694,444. Patented Mar. 4,1902.

W. THURMOND.

ORE. GONGENTB-ATOR. (Application filed Feb.'19, 189B. Rnewed May 24, 1901.)

2 She etsShe et I.

(No Model.)

IN VENTOH WITNESSES A TTOHNE Y8.

THE NORRI$ PETERS coiwuordq'mou WASHINGTON, u. c:

2v 0 m 4 r a M d e t n e t a P. D N 0 M Du U H T W A 4 4 9 6 0 N one chncummon'.

(Application filed Feb. 19, 189B. Renewed May 24, 1901.)

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(N o Modal.)

W/ TNESSE S we harms wzrcns ca, mo'roumu. wAsmNmON. u. 6:

V UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM THURMOND, OF HILLSBORO, TERRITORY OF NEW MEXICO, AS-

SIGNOR'OF FIVE-TWELFTHS TO WILLIAM E. NELSON AND CHARLES H. JONES, OF DENVER, COLORADO.

ORE-CONCENTRATOR.

SPEGIFICATIONformingpart of Letters Patent N 0. 694,444, dated March 4, 1902. Application filed February 19. 1898. Renewed May 24., 1901. Serial No. 61,816. (No model.)

T0 whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM THURMOND, of Hillsboro, in the county of Sierra and Territory of New Mexico, have invented a new and Improved Ore-Concentrator, of which the following is a full, clear, andexact description.

The object of the invention is to provide a new and improved ore-concentrator which is simple and durable'in construction and arranged to readily separate the heavier particles from the lighter ones of near the same size-the finest first, the coarsest last, the intermediate particlesbetween the extremes, and the ore that is too coarse to pass through the coarsest screen-plate to be returned to the roller-mill or other'crushing machinery, recrushed, and again passed through the concentrator.

The invention consists of novel features and parts and combinations of the same, as will be fully described hereinafter and pointed out in the claims. H v

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification,

. in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the improvement. Fig. 2 isa sectional side elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the screen. Fig. 4 is a transverse section of the same, and Fig. 5 is an enlarged transverse section of one of the outlet-chutes.

The improved ore-concentratoris mounted on a suitably-constructed frame and is provided with a draft-chamber'A, opening at one end into a suction-box B, connected at its upper end with an exhaust-fan O of any approved construction to produce a suction in the box B and in the chamber A. i The latter is provided with lids or covers A, below which is a screen D, provided'with a screen-frame D, connected with a suitable mechanism for impartingareciprocating motion to the frame, the latter traveling on suitable friction-rollers D attached to the inside of the chamber A, as is plainly indicated in Figs. 2 and 4. The screen-frame Dsupports screen-plates D and the entire screen is arranged in an inclined position, said screen plates being graduated from a finemesh at the top to a coarser mesh at or near the lower end thereof, as will be readily understood by reference to Figs. 2 and 3. The screen-frame and the plates thereon'are madein such a manner that the plates stand at a different angle to each otherthat is, the uppermost screen-plates have a steeper angle than the following ones. The extreme upper end D of the screen D is made sol-id to receive the material to be treated from a chute connected with a roller-mill or other redncingmachine, and the extreme lower end D of the said screen is also made solid and opens directly into the suctionthe screen D.

Under the screen D and placed a suitable distance apart are arranged beaters E, having their beating-arms projecting in opposite directions from transverse shafts E, journaled in suitable bearings in the under side of the frame D, and each shaft E is provided witha weighted arm E extending downward, as shown in Figs. 2 and 4, so that when the frame D is reciprocated the, arms impart a rocking motion to theshafts E andcause the heaters E to, strike against the under side of the screen-plates, so as to prevent the same from being choked by the material passing over the screen. The ends of the screenframe are connected with springs F to reduce the concussion to a minimum while the screen is reciprocated.

The bottom G of the drat't-chamberA is pivoted at G in the side posts of the suctionbox B, and the rear lower end of said bottom rests on a pin or rod G adjustably held in sets of apertures in the beams of the chamber A, so that the bottom G can be moved to the desired inclination, according to the ma terial under treatment. The portion of the bottom G near the fulcrum end G is formed with apertures G opening into a hopper H, supported in the framework of the machine and located directly under said bottom, so that the concentrates passing through the screen-plates into the draft-chamber A are drawn forward by the suction of the air and in passing over the apertured portion of bottom G drop through the apertures G into the hopper H, from which the material is discharged through an inclined chute H, having a door H inclined and hinged at its up per end to the hopper H, so that the material passing into the chute from the inclined bottom of the hopper gradually opens the door H after a snfiicient amount of concentrates have accumulated. By this arrangement an air-tight connection is maintained at the discharge end of the hopper, so that no air can pass into the hopper and through the openings G to the draft-chamber A.

One side of the hopper H extends close to the under side of the bottom G near the fulcrum end, and the other side is engaged by a door G hinged to the under side of the bottom G, so that in case the latter is raised a substantially air tight connection will be maintained between the top of the hopper at this side of the latter.

Directly over the bottom end D of the screen D and within the suction-box B is pivoted a deflector I, adapted to be given any desired inclination from the outside by means of ahandle l, secured to one outer end of the pivot 1 for the deflector I, the said handle being provided with a spring-catch (not shown) for engaging one of a series of recesses 1 formed in the suction-box B (see Fig. 1) to lock the handle, and with it the deflector, in any desired position. Directly below the deflector is arranged a hopper J, having an inclined bottom leading at its lower end to a chute J, provided with a door J as shown in Fig. 5, and of like construction to the door 11 previously described. The lower end of the chute J discharges directly into the closed end of an elevator K for carrying the coarse ore back to the roller-mill or other reducing-machine to be again treated and again passed to the upper end of the screen D and over the same and again treated to obtain the concentration.

Adjacent to the hopper J in the left-hand side of the suction-box B is arranged a hopper L, similar to the hopper J, and connected at its inclined bottom with a chute L, containing a door L similar to the doors J and H The chute L opens into the lower closed end of an elevator N for carrying the tailings off to a suitable place of discharge.

The deflector I is made adjustable over the hopper J to increase or decrease the draft over the hopper for regulating the amount of the material passing into the hopper L from the screen D, it being understood that on swinging the deflector downward the draft is more forcible and more material passes into the hopper than when the deflector is swung upward, and the force of the draft is decreased.

In the suction-box B and near the upper end thereof are arranged inclined deflectors 0 0', located one above the other, so that fine light materials are prevented from passing up to the suction-fan 0 when the apparatus is in use. 4

The operation is as follows: When the suction-fan O is started and a reciprocating motion is given to the screen D and the elevators K and N are running, then the material discharged upon the upper end of the screen D runs down the same by itsv own gravity, the heavier material passing through the screen plates into the chamberA and falling eitheron the bottom G or being drawn upward over the bottom toward the suction-box B by the ac: tion of the exhaust-fan. The concentrates in passing up the bottom G finally pass through the apertures G into the hopper H, from which they discharge,as previously described. The coarser material which does not pass through the lowermost screen-plates passes into the suction-box B, and the heavy coarse ore at once drops down into the hopper J,while the lighter tailings pass beyond the deflector 1 I into the hopper L, from which the tailings are discharged into the elevator N to be delivered to the dump. The coarser ore passing into the hopper J is returned to the rolls by the elevator K, as previously explained. The screen-plates D of the screen D are grad ually increased in mesh from the upper or receiving end to the lower or discharge end to insure a gradual separation of the heavier particles from the lighter ones, the separation on the reciprocating screen-plates being accelerated by the action of the air-draft, the force of which is less at the upper end of the screen than at the lower end, the force corresponding to the graduated meshes in the screen, as less suction is required for the separation of the fine material than is necessary for the coarser material at the lower end of the screen where the meshes are coarser and the airdraft stronger. The finer concentrates passing into the draft-chamber at the large rear end thereof are carried forward by the current of air to drop through the apertures G into the hopper G, together with the coarser concentrates, which pass through the lower screen-plates and drop directly through the openings G into the hopper. Concentrates that settle on the solid rear portion of the bottom G are from time to time pushed by a scraper or other suitable tool forward to also pass through the openings G into the hopper H. The rear end of bottom G is swung up or down for increasing or decreasing the size of the rear end of chamber A, and thereby regulating the passage of the air through the several screens according to the condition of the material under treatment, it being understood that the force of the draft is regulated by the fan connected with the suction-box B. When the rear end'of bottom is swung upward, the size of the rear end of thecha'mber will be decreased and more air will be caused to pass through the upper screens, and the nearer the rear end of the bottom is brought to the screens the more evenly will the air be caused to pass through the several screens.

The apertures Gr are'made larger than the meshes of the screens above to insure a proper passage of the coarser concentrates down into the hopper H without clogging the apertures G I Having thus fully described my invention,

I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters,v

Patent 1. loan ore-concentrator, aneXhaust-chamher, a draft-chamber at one side of the exhaust-chamber and opening into the lower portion of the same,'the bottom of the draftchamber being provided with apertures in the end adjacent to the exhaust-chamber, and an inclined reciprocating screen arranged in the upper part of the draft-chamber and having rality of sections arranged at different angles to one another, theuppermost section'having the greatest inclination, substantially as described.

2. In an ore-concentrator,an exhaust-chamber, a tapering draft chamber having its smaller endopening into the lower part of the exhaust-chamber, the bottom of the draft chamber being provided with openings in its end adjacent to the exhaust-chamber, and an inclined reciprocating screen in the upper part of the draft-chamber and havingits lower end discharging into the exhaustchamber, the said screen being formed-of a-series of sections arranged at different angles to one another, the uppermost section having the greatest inclination, substantially as described.

3. In an ore-concentrator, a draft-chamber connected with an exhaust, a reciprocating screen arranged in the upper part of the draftchamber and inclining downwardly from its receiving to its discharge end, and an adj ustable bottom in the draft-chamber below the screen and provided with apertures at one end, substantially as described.

4. In an ore-concentrator,-a draft-chamber connected with an exhaust, a reciprocating screen in the upper part of the draft-chamber and inclining downwardly from its receiving to its discharge end, and a bottom arranged in the draft-chamber below the screen and.

provided with apertures at one end, said bottom having one end hinged and its free end adjustably held, substantially as described. 5. In an ore-concentrator, an exhaust-chamber, a draft-chamber opening into the exhaust chamber, a reciprocating inclined screen in the upper part of the draft-chamber and discharging into the exhaust chamber, weighted boaters loosely mounted on the under side ofthe screen, whereby they will be actuated by the movement of the screen, and an adjustable bottom for the draft-chamber, said bottom being provided with apertures at its inner end, substantially as described.

6. A draft-chamber connected at one end with a suction-box, andhaving a reciprocating inclined screen at its top, and screenplates increasing in the size of their mesh from the upper end of the screen to the lower end, and a bottom pivoted near the lower end of the screen and adjustably held at its free end, the bottom being provided near its pivotal end with'apertures for the passage of the concentratespassing through the screenplates, substantially as shown and described. 7. In'an ore-concentrator, a d'raft chamber, a suctio'n-box'into which opens the draftchamber, and a reciprocating inclined screen arranged in the upper part of thedraft chamber and having its lower end projecting into the suction-box, substantially as described. 8; An ore concentrator, provided with a draft chamber, an inclined reciprocating screen in the draft-chamber, a suction-box into which opens said draft-chamber, to create a draft in the said draft-chamber, and to permit .the coarser material to pass from the screen of the draft-chamber into the suctionbox, and hoppers arranged within the suction-box one alongside the other, one of said hoppers being directly below the discharge end of said screens, substantially as shown and described.

' 9. An ore-concentrator, provided with a draft-chamber,' an inclined reciprocating screen in the draft-chamber,a suction-box into which opens saiddraft-chamber to create a,

alongside the other, one of said hoppers being 1 directly below the discharge end of said screen,

this hopper receiving the coarser ore and the which opens said draft-chamber, to create a draft in said draft-chamber, and to permit the coarser material to pass from thescreen of the draft-chamber into the suction box, two hoppers arranged within the suction-box one alongside the other, one of the hoppers being directly below the discharge end of said screen, and deflectors arranged in the upper end of the suction-box, substantially as shown and described.

. 11. In an ore-concentrator, the combination with an exhaust-chamber, 'a draft-chamber communicating with the exhaust-chamber and having a hinged bottom provided with openings, and a screen in the draft-chamber,

of a hopper below the openings of the bottom of the draft-chamber, and a door hinged to the under side of the bottom and engaging the hopper, substantially as described.

12. In an ore-concentrator, the combination with a suction-box, of a draft-chamber opening into the suction-box and having an adjustable apertured bottom and an inclined reciprocating screen in the upper part of the draft-chamber and having its lower end discharginginto the suction-box, said screen being formed of a series of sections arranged at diiferent angles to one another, the upper most section having the greatest inclination, substantially as described.

13. In an ore-concentrator, the combination with a suction-box and hoppers arranged therein, of a draft-chamber opening into the suction-box, an inclined reciprocating screen in the draft-chamber and having its lower end projecting into the suction-box over one of WILLIAM THURMOND.

Witnesses:

AUGUST REINGARDT, WILLIAM S. COOPER. 

